Why is AOL still in business? Is it because people can't figure out how to cancel? n/t

[PoliticAverse]

[skoalyman]

1. that is a good question.I was fixing my neighbors desktop one day

(virus related crappy old pc)anyway she had cable internet and was still paying to use aol to get online.I asked her why didn't she get a browser to browse the net with instead of paying aol on top of cable lol I cant remember what she said but I thought it was a stupid waste.

[Lucinda]

2. Yes!

:toast:

[LooseWilly]

3. Much as I hate them, they're actually creating an interesting news site now...

http://www.patch.com/

The paypal payments to reporters come from AOL LLC...

Just saying, sometimes top-heavy, asshat-managed corporations accidentally do something that doesn't suck. We'll see how long it lasts.

:+

[Horse with no Name]

4. That crap is worse than a virus

My mom was going to remove it and she called AOL and they told her that if she removed it, her computer wouldn't work properly again.
Out of fear, my mom didn't touch it.
The next time I was at her house, I removed that crap and her computer worked fine.

[Edweird]

6. You know, the AOL software (not AIM) is a free VPN if you have a use for such a thing.

It's not all bad.

[Edweird]

5. I've got like 23524222414 email addreses. A few of them are @aol.com

They are free, so what's the problem? Anybody that's actually PAYING for it is clueless, but a free email account is a free email account.

[Capitalocracy]

7. I'm just in love with that voice

You've got mail!

[Tunkamerica]

8. somebody posted here the other day that 75% of their income still comes

from people paying for "access" to the internet which they don't need.

[NYC Liberal]

10. Saw that too. They pay for AOL *and* their cable/DSL service,

thinking they need to keep paying to keep their AOL email.

Having worked in a computer store, I know for a fact that a lot of people are just set in their ways and won't change even if there's a cheaper or more efficient way.

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. I know plenty of people who've been AOL customers since Day 1.

I also know people who bought Yugo's, listen to hip-hop "artists" who use autotune, and thought Pet Rocks were the Go To gift in a pinch.

I put them all in the same category.

[LuvNewcastle]

11. That's part of it, but the main reason

people are still paying for AOL is that they fundamentally don't understand how the internet works. I bought my first computer back in the 90's and it came with a year's free subscription to AOL. I had no one to teach me about computers, so I had to learn everything by trial and error. I had to set the computer up several times before the thing would work. The AOL software, however, was easy to install and very user friendly, especially for a novice like myself. The software told me what to do and when to do it, so everything ran perfectly. When I switched internet providers, I didn't have a babysitter anymore and it was a long time before I figured out how to access the internet without AOL. I looked for a book back then to help me understand computers and the internet better, but I couldn't find anything that explained things to my satisfaction. I probably should write a book for people who know nothing about computers; I know exactly what they're going through.

[Frank Cannon]

12. I left AOL back in the mid-'90s, and it was like trying to leave the Village

I can't tell you how many phone calls and other shenanigans were made trying to get me to stay. I liked AOL (I was one of the first 50,000 or so customers), but needless to say, I was thankful to leave.

[PoliticAverse]

14. Be seeing you!... n/t

[Renew Deal]

13. AIM is a hugely successful program.

It's the original IM program and still very popular.

[RegieRocker]

15. The same underlying reason for most of the worlds problems.

Apathetic

[Warren Stupidity]

16. that and millions of people are still on dial up